Alpha Cleaning Agency
Post-renovation cleaning checklist
Print or save as PDF. Full guide: alphacleaningagency.com/guides/post-renovation-cleaning-checklist
1–2 weeks out
- Last trade finish date confirmed (including paint touch-ups)
- Contractor hauling debris before the clean
- Paint dates written down for each room
- Asked whether HVAC returns were covered during sanding
- If home built before 1978: asked contractor about lead-safe cleanup
- Photographed existing scratches, chips and dents
Day before
- Power, water and lights work in every room
- Leftover materials stacked and marked “keep”
- Furniture still out of the work area
- Floor protection: stays or comes up before the clean
- Parking planned for the crew
- Kids and pets somewhere else during the clean
Cleaning day
- HVAC fan off while the crew dusts
- Windows open if the weather allows
- Delicate finishes pointed out to the crew lead
- Home for the final walkthrough
After the clean
- New HVAC filter installed; system turned back on
- Check the filter again in two weeks
- Wash textiles that stayed in the house
- Light film on flats wiped with dry microfiber
- No scrubbing of uncured paint
- Touch-up booked if contractors return
Walkthrough tests
| Where | How | Clean looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Floors and counters | Flashlight held low | No gray film or grit |
| Door tops, frames, trim | White cloth along the top | Cloth stays white |
| Cabinets and drawers | Corners and slides | No dust lines |
| Window tracks and glass | Tracks, then glass at an angle | No grit, paint or glue |
| Vents and radiators | Between the fins | No dust on the fins |
| Fixtures and tile | Look for haze and drips | Even shine, no haze |
| Switch plates and hardware | Plates, hinges, handles | No dust ring or paint |
| Stairs and baseboards | Corners and spindles | No packed dust |